Paddy Pimblett was shocked by Charles Oliveira’s showing at UFC 317. The lightweight contender watched Ilia Topuria knock out Oliveira in the first round to win the vacant lightweight title on June 28, 2025, in Las Vegas. On the Verse Us podcast, Pimblett called Oliveira’s game plan “half embarrassing” and hyped his own chances against Topuria, leaning into their bad blood. After a heated post-fight faceoff, Pimblett’s ready to shine.
Pimblett’s Critique
Pimblett couldn’t believe Oliveira’s approach against Topuria’s striking.
“I thought if Charles would get him to the later rounds, it might have been a bit different,” he said. “I really like Charles but what the f*ck was that game plan, lad? Just stand in front of him and get punched in the face. I’d love to know what their game plan was. Because that was half embarrassing. Where did the cut come from? Topuria ended up on top of him, I was like ‘Oliveira’s cut.’ Obviously that would have been in his eye a little bit. Easier to get it but still. What are you doing just standing in the middle and swinging punches with him when he’s a top class boxer and he’s got power. It blew my mind how stupid he could be after that was his 47th pro fight, and he was going in there like an amateur.”
He noted Oliveira’s early kicks.
“The first 20 seconds, he did [kick him] a little bit. Teeped him, leg kicked him, I was thinking you know we could be in for a tough night for Topuria. Then Charles got it once and just started swinging with him but when he was walking out I did go to Graham [Boylan] and say he looks nervous. When Ilia walked out, he was just smiling. I was like that’s going to play a part in this.”
Pimblett vs. Topuria
Pimblett, who faced off with Topuria after the fight, believes his size gives him an edge.
“That’s the thing, he’s got loads of damage,” he said about Oliveira. “I’ve never had a fight like that. I want to have a war with someone but I’ve never had one. Never took a sustained amount of damage in my life. He wouldn’t knock me out. He could hit me with his best punch and I’d laugh in his face.” He added, “I’ve said this before in several interviews, people just think he’d steamroll me, but it’s different when there’s that much size difference. People think I’m not good enough to [go against him] but lad, he’s a midget. That’s what I said to him, I will finish you, little boy. He’s that much shorter than me, I’m so much wider than him. That plays a part. That’s why people cut weight.” via MMAFighting
Their 2021 near-brawl in London over Topuria’s comments about the Russo-Georgian War fuels their rivalry.
Topuria, 28, is 17-0 and the first undefeated two-division UFC champ. Born in Georgia and raised in Spain, he joined the UFC in 2020, going 9-0. He won the featherweight title by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 in February 2024 and defended it against Max Holloway at UFC 308 in October 2024, becoming the first to knock out Holloway. He knocked out Oliveira at UFC 317 with a right hook and left hand at 2:27 of round one for the lightweight title.
Pimblett, 30, has a 23-3 record and is 7-0 in the UFC since 2021. The Liverpool native, ranked No. 8 at lightweight, beat Michael Chandler at UFC 314 in April 2025.
Topuria vs. Pimblett is likely next, possibly in Las Vegas in December. Topuria shoved Pimblett during their faceoff, and Dana White criticized the cage entry due to Topuria’s family being present. Topuria’s open to facing Islam Makhachev at welterweight if Makhachev beats Jack Della Maddalena. Pimblett’s confidence and their history set up a huge fight.
